Hays to Rutgers

The Washington Post WASHINGTON, D.C. D. 408,701 S. 491,212 JAN 1 8 1964 Hays to Rutgers The first of President Kennedy's men to leave the White House is one of the gentlest spirits in this hard-boiled town. Rutgers University will not be easily forgiven for abducting Brooks Hays from us, even though he will be getting the mouth-filling title of Arthur Vanderbilt Professor and lecturer at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Mr. Hays first came to town as Congressman from Little Rock in 1943, and he remained in the House until his determined opposition to racial fanaticism cost him his seat after the battle over Central High. Since 1961, he has been one of the pleasantest and most unsung of the Special Assistants to the President—an aide whose formal job was to advise on Federal-state relations, but who also was able, as an eminent Baptist layman, to advise a Catholic President on touchy aspects of church-state relations. His office has been next to that of Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. in the East Wing—he has tried, as he once put it, to offer an answer from an Arkansas cornfield to the cerebral questions that preoccupied the President's staff. A year ago, a documentary record on wit in Washington was issued, and excerpts were contained from the speeches of two White House officials. One of course was John F. Kennedy; the other was Brooks Hays. We envy the students of Rutgers their opportunity to enjoy Mr. Hays's rare and rewarding qualities.

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The Washington Post WASHINGTON, D.C. D. 408,701 S. 491,212 JAN 1 8 1964 Hays to Rutgers The first of President Kennedy's men to leave the White House is one of the gentlest spirits in this hard-boiled town. Rutgers University will not be easily forgiven for abducting Brooks Hays from us, even though he will be getting the mouth-filling title of Arthur Vanderbilt Professor and lecturer at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Mr. Hays first came to town as Congressman from Little Rock in 1943, and he remained in the House until his determined opposition to racial fanaticism cost him his seat after the battle over Central High. Since 1961, he has been one of the pleasantest and most unsung of the Special Assistants to the President—an aide whose formal job was to advise on Federal-state relations, but who also was able, as an eminent Baptist layman, to advise a Catholic President on touchy aspects of church-state relations. His office has been next to that of Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. in the East Wing—he has tried, as he once put it, to offer an answer from an Arkansas cornfield to the cerebral questions that preoccupied the President's staff. A year ago, a documentary record on wit in Washington was issued, and excerpts were contained from the speeches of two White House officials. One of course was John F. Kennedy; the other was Brooks Hays. We envy the students of Rutgers their opportunity to enjoy Mr. Hays's rare and rewarding qualities.